Where Is The Edge
by moiradeathwidow
Summary: Sent back to the 1940's, Harry and Hermione both believed they were given another chance to stop Lord Voldemort once and for all. Could saving the world be more complicated than that? Unforeseeable events, a strange arrival of an even stranger girl and an inescapable fate might be what the Golden Duo needs to learn how dangerous it is to walk in the edge of darkness and light. AU.
1. Fait Accompli

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter universe is owned by J.K Rowling; I'm merely playing within its sandbox**.**

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**PROLOGUE:**

**Fait Accompli**

(Or: you're seriously fucked up now and there's nothing you can do)_  
_

.

_"Don't try to get away, I'm here to stay. My name is your fate.. " - Fait Accompli, Curve__  
_

_._

_._

I had really given it a lot of thought. You know, dying.

I would sometimes imagine myself in a car crash, wondering what I would see in the last seconds of my so called life before I was consumed by death. There is another bizarre notion of me being trampled by a dozen horses; not that I would find myself in such situation, seeing as I live the way I do nor I'm fond of horse racing to warrant such end, but still. Dying with some unknown disease is in the list somewhere too. Being tortured and murdered by a serial killer is also on the top of this list – _thank you social media – _and I would not find it surprising if some necrophiliac would find me either (rape me, kill me, rape me again, defile my body.. er, you get the picture). Of course, sudden unexpected nocturnal death syndrome is _very_ welcomed. Painless, bloodless, zero screaming, no awkward moments for cheesy romantic one liners (if you somehow managed to be in the arms of the love of your life), probably tidier and without having to explain to someone why you just fuckin' died; well, who would've say no to that? But, heck that's too kind and I would not put it past to some omniscient wanker who mapped the universe to make it any easier for me.

What I really didn't count on was this, the current predicament I'm in. Nobody told me that you'll get any friggin' hallucinations like you smoked cannabis 'til kingdom come or lucid dreams or some shit where you'll find yourself in another place, another fuckin' universe before nothingness or what comes after death takes over or something.

I mean, c'mon. I believed I deserved a fucking clean end. Not some cruel joke of staying _here, _where I would stick out like a sore thumb among the rest of these people, and a for a long time at that, probably for the rest of my sodding existence.

With that thought, I tried to look around the almost-cozy, nothing quite extraordinary room except for numerous ancient looking books and a thin, mournful looking bird with greenish black feathers that looks like it's about to cry. Wouldn't it be a swell if today's the day Alice and her hole to Wonderland will make an appearance? No double entendre intended.

Someone cleared their throat. I was startled from my thoughts and as I chanced a glance at everybody's faces, I paled. No shit, will there be any bloody inquisition now? Fuckin' hell, why am I swearing so much? The cigarette withdrawal for two bloody days must be taking its toll. Oh, fuck.

They all just stared back at me, sporting their own versions of _the_ slightly worried expression - like I'm gonna start crying, swore relentlessly, or start breaking things.

Funny, that's what I'm doing inside my head.

Seriously, what do they expect? After being told that I'm in some weird hell hole where _magic_ (Ha!) is real and considered normal, where people can die or get gravely injured by mispronouncing a fucking _syllable _when using spells and where privacy means not a damn thing if you know your evil stuff, they can't expect me to be all that thrilled in the prospect of living like… well, like _this_. Oh sure, when I first witnessed the colorful sparks and impressive wand works, I really found it cool. I almost literally jumped up and down in excitement when people everywhere started casting spells in ancient languages, making the whole thing so epic I felt like I'm still back home playing D&D with my equally nerdy friends. However, a sudden flash of yellow light dragged me back to reality (still questionable) at that time. The damn thing almost hit me and as I watch it hit the tree behind me instead, my whole perspective shifted about 360 degrees. The tree withered right before my fucking eyes and I was like, oh sodding, bloody mother of all fucks. _I'm going to die.. but wait, do I care?_

Oh, that did pissed me off. _  
_

Add the fact that _coincidentally,_ some magic wielding buggers tried to kill / kidnap / make a virgin sacrifice out of me when I appeared here; creating the building blocks of my opinion that most of these people are a murderous lot and possibly finding euphoria of killing other living things. Call me unreasonable as hell with this generalization but what the fuck, right?

So.

I noticed that the ancient, long bearded grandpa (he reminded me of Treebeard of the Ents, for reasons I _cannot_ fathom) who's sitting behind his majestic desk, was speaking to me and was now looking at me expectantly; I smartly concluded he might have ask some question. I nodded weakly trying to be agreeable with whatever he's trying to ask / request / inquire, afraid that if I move my head too fast I'll snap back to reality and run screaming the fuck out of the room where dozens of portrait inhabitants were now _staring _at me.

I was again pulled out of my self-damning thoughts when someone called my name. I found the piercing blue eyes of a certain auburn haired wizard studying me intently as I looked back at him. Albus (cool name, huh?) had been our generous guardian ever since we arrived in this – I really don't know – magical world? It sounds like unicorns, hippie camps and storybook material that I have to always bite my inner cheek to stifle the hysterical laughter whenever I say it in my head. Clearly, something's wrong with me.

"Are you feeling fine?", he asked kindly, peering at me over his half moon specs.

I tried to summon my face muscles to come up with a smile but it just came out as a grimace. He chuckled at that and winked at me, I suppose to reassure me but it did nothing to calm my nerves. I turned my attention to my other two companions. The Granger girl was facing Treebear –er , Headmaster, as they call him – as the latter was continuing his important sounding speech, explaining something about rules, history, magic, class systems, grading systems and more magic talk. She gave me a sideways glance and her lips slightly curled in a tight smile before turning her attention back to Tree- ahm, Headmaster. Well, she and I had not been on friendly terms – she still distrusts me greatly for reasons I don't have any idea of but probably it's something to do with the way my hair look or my non-existent boobs or some random shit. Staying with her in the same house for the last couple of months didn't seem to change her opinion of me. Well, whatever.

It's not that I ask for any of these. If anything, I wanted everything to be some kind of nightmare or a cruel joke played on me. You know, like those on the TV shows where they staged an event so unexpected to see how you would react and if you've done anything stupid or remotely close, you'll just find yourself being laughed at by millions of people. Yeaaah, people can be fucking cruel like that.

I grimaced more with that thought but then, I felt a warm hand wrapped itself comfortably around my own. I looked up and saw Harry studying me worriedly still, his green eyes behind those round specs asking a silent question. This time, I managed to give him a smug half smile and I remind myself that _no shit, I have a friend._ He offered me a kind smile and hell, I am really thankful that he's around. We've been quite close throughout this confusing turn of events (well, for me anyway) and developed some sort of bromance, if that term can be applied here. He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze and we both tried to turn our attention back to the Headmaster, who seems unfazed with my apparent, almost nervous breakdown earlier. Damn nicotine withdrawal.

" – and before we proceed with the Sorting", the ancient headmaster droned on with his monotone voice, " I warmly.."

_Yeah, my eyes were already clouded with emotions from the "warmth" and all that crap_.

"… welcome you three to Hogwarts".

...

..

.

Well, shit just got real.

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**A/N: **Hey, there! Thank you for reading this one! Review is greatly appreciated to point out any errors / rooms for improvement / complaints or any violent reactions / love notes. So.. , the OC's a bit, uhm, colorful with her language and such so I sort of rated this M to be safe. I'm planning to make this a combination of first person and third point of views so that things will not get a tad boring reading the OC swear all the time._Cyanide Sun_ is a song from H.I.M (such a great band, check them out!) I think I might change the title later if this one won't fit as the story progress but you can always check the lyrics to understand why it's the chosen title for this fic.I spent _4 hours_ just doing the summary soo.. I know. I suck at titles and apparently with summaries, sorry.

Oh, Treebeard and the Ents are references from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien. Heh, that can be a cool band name _Treebeard and the Ents._ Nice.

**01/25/2013 **: Update! Changed the title to Where is the Edge (after much deliberation and packs of cigarettes). It is inspired by Within Temptation's Where is the Edge from the album The Unforgiving. Great band! Listen to them if you have the time.


	2. Our Solemn Hour

**Disclaimer: **In a perfect world of my own design, I own the Harry Potter universe. Alas, I can only play within its sandbox in our current reality. Anyway, thank you, JKRowling!

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**CHAPTER I: The Beginning**

**Our Solemn Hour**

"_Time keeps on slipping away and we haven't learned. So in the end now what have we gained?" _

_- Within Temptation, Our Solemn Hour_

_._

_._

_Hermione:_

She secretly prided herself to be smart, level headed and logical. And it's not out of vanity that led her to believe such things about herself.

She _knew_ that any goal requires thorough planning to avoid any kind of setbacks. For any scheme to be successful, logical actions and carefully planned strategies are needed to be done in a cool, precise manner. Much like in mixing potions or practicing wand movements and incantations. Like the second year Polyjuice scheme she had brilliantly come up with (note that _50 school rules_ had been broken). Minus the cat hair, of course.

True, there were incidents when emotions seem to get the best out of her. Like that time she set those birds on Ron when she was fed up with him and Lavender snogging the living daylights out of each other constantly – and in her presence, of all things! The bird conjuring charm felt oddly satisfying at that time but after a few hours, the stickler for rules part of her brain berated her for such a reckless, juvenile action. So you see, she might be quite emotional at times but oh no sir, it doesn't mean she had to lose her wits about her.

So, she was also surprised when she found herself running across that clearing when she saw Harry curled in the ground, clutching his side. Never mind the fact that Voldemort and his Death Eaters were gathered in a semicircle around her best friend _and _that the Dark Lord's wand was still emitting faint smoke from its end, which was possibly an after effect of a powerful curse. All of this Hermione noticed quite too late.

Possibly when she was already standing between the said wand and her best friend.

"Bloody hell", was all Hermione Granger managed to say as she met the red slits for eyes of the Dark Lord.

Understandably, Voldermort and his minions were a tad surprise that someone would so willingly and _stupidly_ run head on in the midst of the infamous Dark Lord and his equally sinister Death Eaters. A few of them even took a step back. But that surprise quickly abated as most of them recognize who she was; some grinned maliciously, most sported looks of disgust and some just looked utterly bored – like the Dark Lord.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" this from Voldemort, his voice colored with polite interest and curiosity. He lowered his wand slightly, an action Hermione noted with relief since the Dark Lord didn't seem to find her _highly _threatening… yet.

"It's the Mudblood, my lord!" exclaimed a Death Eater - Hermione recognized with disgust as Macnair – with his lips twisted in a malicious grin. He was advancing towards her, wand ready. "If it pleases my Lordship, I can… ", he eagerly offered but it was cut short when Voldemort pointed his wand at Macnair and the latter found himself twitching in the ground, mouth screaming silently in pain. Hermione could only watch in fear as she recognized the Cruciatus curse and the underlying Silencing charm non verbally thrown at the Death Eater. She felt frozen in place and cold sweat began forming in her forehead as she realized the situation she impulsively got into. Try as she may, she cannot take her eyes of Macnair, whose bulging eyes were steadily beginning to be bloodshot under the intense torture.

"How many times do I have to tell you Macnair," asked the Dark Lord rather conversationally, shaking his head in mock regret as he twirled his wand to intensify the curse, "that I do not tolerate rudeness towards our guests?" With a sweep of his wand, he lifted off the curse and turned his attention back to Hermione.

"I must apologize for him, _Miss Granger_", he told Hermione rather apologetically, "He lacks… shall we say, training in the conventions of polite behavior?"

She turned her eyes away from Macnair, who seemed to be unconscious on the ground, and tried to calm the fear she felt as she meet Voldemort eye to eye. The Dark Lord was staring at her politely, as if asking a silent question over tea. "W-well", she croaked, her throat suddenly dry. What to say to the most powerful dark lord of all time? _Give him a reason to let you and Harry g0,_ a tiny voice at the back of her brain was saying._ Negotiate. Possibly try to stroke his ego or pretend to be fascinated with dark magic to -_

"L-let Harry go."

_Direct to the point. That's good. Yeah, that could work._

Voldermort chuckled darkly at that. Someone cackled loudly among the Death Eaters, which Hermione wildly guessed as Bellatrix Lestrange, her torturer back in the Malfoy Manor. Most of them followed suit, laughing as if hearing a joke for the first time in their lives. Hermione knew that what she said could be met with anger, disbelief and a little bit of ridicule, so she can only look in surprise and a bit of defiance as they laugh at her. Being a Gryffindor and gathering enough courage to stand her ground, she narrowed her eyes in anger and was about to _Accio _her wand from her pocket when it was silently summoned by the Dark Lord.

He looked at her, those red eyes cold and filled with disgust. "I'm afraid, I can't do that", came his reply.

Before she can react, the Dark Lord had hit her with a non-verbal full body bind curse causing her to fall in the ground. _Of course, he's not the Dark Lord for nothing, _Hermione told herself as she lie on her back,_ what chance do you have in a duel? You might be the smartest witch of your age but you're never __**that**__ fast with the wand._

"We shall discuss matters later, Miss Granger", Voldemort told her lazily, apparently dismissing her. "For now, we should wake our little Gryffindor hero!" Hermione heard that mad cackling from Bellatrix again and some snickers from the other Death Eaters. She could see from her peripheral vision that the Dark Lord walked over to where Harry was laying on the ground and heard him cast the _Ennervate _spell (_Probably to torture him again_, Hermione thought disgustedly) . She heard Harry struggle for air and moments later, he was coughing up blood, based on what she could hear. _Well, this is bad, _she said to herself, _really bad. _As she tried to kick start the gears of her mind to work while staring helplessly at the reddened night sky, Hermione Granger regretted her impulsive actions. All that supposed brilliance and sharp wit went down the drain in the face of exhaustion, pain and near death experiences.

She furiously thought back on the things she could have done to prevent this, but then she knew that even the most brilliant plan can go awry with people like Harry... and not until now, her. Too much emotions, too much at stake.. no plan can possibly cover the magnitude of what was happening now. Even Dumbledore...

Had he seen this coming all along?

After his death, the three of them hunted down all of the Dark Lord's horcruxes. All that was remaining was the snake Nagini and once it was destroyed, Voldemort can be killed as a mortal man. She, Harry and Ron had spent more than a year fufilling the insane mission of destroying the Dark Lord's souls nothing to guide them except for Dumbledore's cryptic messages and items. From breaking to the Ministry and Gringotts to staying on unnamed locations for months, Hermione believed that they have done their best. But, it wasn't enough apparently.

_No, it wasn't_, Hermione admitted to herself bitterly, fighting back the lump forming in her throat. Had it been, many lives would have been saved.

Going back to Hogwarts was inevitable. Ravenclaw's diadem, one of the objects Voldemort used as a vessel for his mangled soul, was hidden somewhere in their school and it was unavoidable that they had to go back, no matter how dangerous that might be. Finally locating and destroying it from the Room of Requirement, they allowed themselves to hope that they will live this through. One more horcrux and all the horrors and destruction will be over. If only it were that simple.

Death Eaters had infiltrated the castle (a reminiscent of their sixth year) and had engaged the students, the professors and members of the Order of the Phoenix in a battle, all in the hope of finding Harry Potter and delivering him to the Dark Lord. How they knew was a msytery and one Hermione didn't have the time to dwell on. However, throughout the confusion and destruction caused by the battle, the three of them managed to be reunited with their friends. But the reunion was bittersweet and short; many spells, curses and hexes were thrown and many bodies fell, either gravely injured or dead. As much as she fervently hoped that those empty bodies were all from the enemies, it was undeniably from both – alarmingly, more so from her friends, schoolmates, teachers and everyone fighting against the Dark Lord.

Death.

Death everywhere.

At this point, when it seemed they were fighting a losing battle, Harry spoke to her and Ron, his bright green eyes filled with grief but somehow hard with determination. "This is it Hermione, Ron… Promise me you'll end this, no matter what happens…" he then grabbed each of their hands and squeezed it hard, as if drawing strength, "even if I fail."

Before she and Ron can react, Harry turned away and ran towards the Forbidden Forest, his young and exhausted body disappearing among the trees. Hermione made to follow and ran after him, with Ron hard on her heels and begging her to stop and let Harry go, he knows what he is doing. But she couldn't listen.. she had to tell Harry. There is something they can do. Something that can save everyone they loved. Something that doesn't involve his impulsive, stupid Gryffindor courage and self sacrificing tendencies.

She kept running and running, destination unclear and only the surrounding darkness accompanying her. As she was getting deeper in the forest, she heard rustling from behind her and suddenly, a deafening, rushing sound filled the air. Before she can find the its source, a pair of strong arms appeared out of nowhere and wrapped itself around her, knocking her on the ground. She landed hard on her back and after a few moments of disorientation, she struggled under the dead weight pining her down. Hermione blindly shoved it away with all her remaining strength, her heart beating wildly in panic. Once free, she rolled off the ground, wand at hand, and leaned against a tree trunk for support. She warily eyed the body of her attacker, lying a few feet from her. As the moon came behind the clouds, it illuminated the flaming red hair she could recognize anywhere. A cold sensation started to rise from the pits of her stomach as she rushed towards him. Dropping on her knees, Hermione called out his name but no reply came.

Ron was unmoving; his eyes closed and mouth slightly parted as if on sleep.

"Ron", Hermione's voice broke as she repeatedly said his name. She grabbed the front of his shirt with both fists and shook him hard, as if that action alone might irritate him enough to wake up and say, _Bloody hell, Hermione! Let go of my shirt!_ A sardonic grin. _I'm just joking, you mad woman! _

"Ron! Damnit! Wake the bloody hell up!", she screamed in his face, grief giving way to anger as her brilliant mind tried to process the realization that Ron, her ever insensitive, brave Ronald, might never say that again. "Harry… Harry... he needs us! You can't die! You can't leave us –m-**me **like this! You can't…" she sobbed as she leaned her forehead against his. Salty water fell on Ron's face.

Silence filled the air, only the ever present cry of the cicadas broke the deafening roar in her ears.

"I'm terribly sorry, dear girl", a raspy voice from somewhere above her said. She looked up, tears still streaking down her cheeks as she recognized the Death Eater she was dueling earlier when Harry took off. His face was half covered with their trademark silver mask and his lips pulled in a sneer. He was holding his wand in one hand and it was slightly shaking, an aftermath of the Killing curse. "He tried to get in the way, you see", he continued in a mock apologetic tone, "Heroic, that one is." Hermione just stared at him, unable to form any response that might justify what she _should_ say. She eyed his wand with a blank expression. An ordinary looking stick, by no means majestic but had the power to take away a smile, a dream, a future, a friend. Her grip on her wand loosened as an inexplicable resignation washed over her. She suddenly felt sick and terribly tired; of running and hiding, of fighting and losing.

Maybe it's time to stop. Maybe it's time to have somebody else play the hero.

"Don't worry, child", the Death Eater said softly, "you'll join him soon".

_Yes_,Hermione thought as she closed her eyes. It's not a bad thing, really. To be forever oblivious, to stop caring. _Harry is the chosen one, _she said to herself, _me and Ron were just mere pawns. Nobody would care if we live or die. Most of those who would care are either dead or would soon be dead. _

Perhaps she'll see her parents again. Perhaps she'll see everyone - Ginny, Luna, Neville and the others who had fallen. Perhaps, if death is kind, she can see Ron again…

_No, Hermione, _a voice suspiciously like Ron shouted in the back of her mind, _you have to live. For me. For Harry._

_For Harry._

"Filthy, little mud blood".

Hermione's eyes snapped open at that, bringing her mind back in focus. _How dare he?_ A flare of anger. _How dare he say the words that represented everything we were fighting against?_ Remembrance. Defiance. _How dare he say these words? All these deaths.. all these loss? _Grief. _All of them had died protecting what they believed in. They gave their lives so they can save those they love..._

She girpped her wand and pointed it to the man who uttered the insult that summarized all the wrong things in this word. The Death Eater eyes widened in surprise at the sudden movement and as the latter opened his mouth to utter, without a doubt the Killing curse, Hermione – in all her grief and remembrance to which Ron died for – beat him there.

"Avada Kedavra"

A jet of green light - with that same rushing sound she heard earlier - flashed from her wand and viciously hit the man across the chest. Something cold trickled down her spine and for a moment, blackness descended down on her. Her chest constricted painfully and for a while, she sputtered for air. She found herself on all fours, waiting for the unexpected pain to subside. As it abated, Hermione could only stare in shock at the unnamed Death Eater crumpled in front of her in the ground. Her first murder. What had she done?

The incantation had rolled off easily from her tongue, as smoothly and uncaring as if she had done this all her life. It didn't felt good but it felt right, no matter how twisted it sound. She had only felt the rage, the grief and wanting to see the man hurt for what he's done. Was she a murderer now?

The wand shook in her hands and she let it fall, disgusted and mortified by the fact that she did in fact cast a Killing Curse, it felt _right_ and it was.. potent.

What had she done?

"Ron..." she whispered to her bestfriend lying next to her, "I'm… so sorry". As a fresh batch of tears formed in her eyes, Hermione knew that those were the words she would say many times for a long time to come, if she survived.

* * *

"Hermione.." she heard Harry whisper, voice hoarse and weak.

Snapping out of the stream of memories that flooded her, Hermione tried turning her face towards Harry but her muscles felt like lead. She wanted to scream in desperation and helplessness. She tried to tap the innermost core of her magic but even that seemed to be unyielding as her body.

_Think, Granger! , _she furiously told herself,_ think! _

Her chances of dispelling the curse are slim to none, for Voldemort is a powerful wizard as his spells were potent. There has to be other ways to distract the Dark Lord, but what are the ways? She might not be able to –

"How sweet. Potter and his mudblood reunited", the high cold voice of the Dark Lord rang somewhere from her left.

"You miserable, bastard!" Harry shouted at him. "Let her go! Let her go or I'll –"

"Or what?" the Dark Lord asked, amusement evident in his tone. "Unleash the power of _love_ on me?" She heard the Death Eaters snickered at that.

"This is getting tedious", Voldemort said. "Let's begin, shall we, Potter? After that, you and your little mud blood can be reunited _ forever _in the afterlife." With that being said, Hermione heard a violent whooshing sound and followed by Harry's scream of pain. She felt the air around her grow colder and there was something, something reeking of pure evil, enveloping the little clearing in the forest. She felt the Death Eaters step back in fear at something happening in front of their very eyes. A moment later, she heard a rushing noise followed by shrill cry, almost inhumanly, almost otherworldly.

_Harry! No!_, she screamed silently. _Someone please help! Dumbledore! Help us! Merlin, save us! He's going to die! He can't! HE CAN'T! I promised Ron, I promised Harry! _She tightly closed her eyes to concentrate and tried non verbally summon Ron's wand rucked in her pocket, she could only twitch her thumb…

Wait.

She tried experimenting and sure enough, she could slowly feel some sensation coming from her hands and toes. _C'mon,_ she willed her body desperately. After a few more tries, she can slowly move her hands and other parts of her body. It was painful, like a thousand needles prickling her skin from the inside. She tried moving her head, discreetly and slowly turned her face to where he heard Harry's scream earlier. As Hermione took in the spectacle before her, she knew it was the time for her and Dumbledore's plan.

She could see Harry suspended two feet in the air, engulfed in green, sickly light, as his body was coming in and out of focus. Voldemort was wand was pointed at directly at Harry, emitting from its end was a black, translucent robe like substance that was slithering across the clearing, which many of the Death Eaters avoided, many of them half hidden in the darkness of the trees. It's making a soft, keening sound that oddly reminded Hermione of death. In the Dark Lord's other hand was a silver necklace, an egg sized ruby dangling from its end. The ruby was glowing deep red, its color intensifying as it absorb the white substance coming out in streams from Harry's open mouth. Blood was flowing from Harry's body steadily, creating a pool of dark liquid under him on the grass. The Dark Lord eyes were no longer red slits, they were milky white and seemed to be unfocused while his mouth was moving, chanting in an unfamiliar language. Harry's green eyes were completely black, staring at the sky as if in a silent plea.

Horcrux, was what flashed in Hermione's mind as she watched in shock. The Dark Lord is removing his soul from Harry's body, killing her bestfriend in the process to make it stronger.

_If there'll be a time to use it, Ms. Granger_, she heard Dumbledore's grave voice in her head, _it will be now. _

Hermione calculated the distance between her and Harry, deliberating whether to cast a disillusionment charm or just grab Harry, green magical barrier be damned. She decided against the charm, for all she knew, the Dark Lord might have put a warding spell around the clearing, preventing any sort of magic, except those from him or the Death Eaters. She discreetly put her other hand inside her pocket, touching the ring Dumbledore so often wore and was given to her night before he died. Hermione slipped it on and for the second time that night, made an impulsive decision. She rolled off the ground and crossed the distance between her and Harry - the Dark Lord, his Death Eaters and whatever magic it was, can go to hell. She met a little resistance from the barrier as she wrapped her arms around Harry's waist and pulled. As they both crashed on the ground, the dark magic surrounding the clearing was sucked back to Voldemort's wand, causing the latter to stagger a few steps back and snap off his trance.

"My lord!" screamed Bellatrix, drawing her wand. "The Mudblood!" Several Death Eaters already had their wands out and sent deadly curses her way. Without a moment's hesitation, Hermione raised her right arm, index finger pointing skywards.

"Protego Maxima!" she cried, her own magic surged upward and created a bluish shield around them. The ring she's wearing glowed red, emitting a reddish light that seemed to mingle with the shielding charm she created, making it stronger. The curses hit the barrier and she felt its impact quite painfully, as if the barrier was part of her body. The shield charm held up.

"Harry", she whispered to the still unconscious boy beside her, his warm blood soaking her own clothes as she held him close. "Hold on, Harry. We'll end this now".

The Death Eaters were still firing curses after curses but none went closer, as the barrier seemed to also repel any physical contact as well. Few had tried but was sent flying backwards. Hermione knew that the barrier as powerful as this won't last long, even with help of Dumbledore's ring. She studied the said ring quickly , which appears to consist of a bezel with a secret compartment. Hermione brought the ring close to her lips and muttered, "Patefacio", just as Dumbledore instructed. There was a small click as the compartment opened and she dumped its contents on her palm, anxious to know what can be the possible magical item that might help them and hating herself for not disobeying Dumbledore beforehand.

As she stared at the sands on her palms, the underlying meaning in the vague instructions their former headmaster had left her suddenly came.

"_In the time of desperate need, Ms. Granger, remember the words: Patefacio. Transitus viam mortis, tempore et magicae. They are words to be used with great caution. Utter them only when you're ready to stop the darkness at its roots… and when there is no other choice._

_He then peered over his half moon glasses, bright blue eyes studying her intently._

_You will know, Hermione. You will know."_

The raw sands of the time turner, perhaps the last in the world.

_To stop the darkness at its roots… _

Hermione turned to face Voldemort, the latter's face contorted in rage, his yellowed teeth clenched together. "Mudblood", he sneered, his red eyes narrowed. "You think you can defy me, don't you? This little magic trick Dumbledore gave you won't last forever". He waved his wand in a series of complicated movements and a blinding red light collided with their magical barrier. She almost fell on her back from the impact and though the barrier was holding up, its vibrant purplish color seemed to be fading. Realizing they have a little time, she reached a decision that would give them time and perhaps, save everyone that has fallen under one man's search for power. Grabbing Harry, she turned to look at Voldemort one last time. _You will never underestimate me again, Tom Riddle, _she told him silently, knowing the other was using Legilimency on her. The Dark Lord's eyes widened, as if clearly hearing her thoughts and for the first time since she had met him, Hermione recognized an emotion she knew all too well: fear.

"Stop them!" the Dark Lord bellowed in rage. The Death Eaters, who seemed to be rather take their chances against two teenagers than face the wrath of their leader, rushed towards them. Most of them were thrown back, repelled by the shield charm but some were getting closer... and closer...

_This is for you, Mom, Dad. Ginny. Luna. Neville. Fred. _

_Ron._

She threw the sands on herself and Harry; they felt warm, oddly comforting. Hope.

She pointed her wand on the ring in her palm and cried,""Patefacio!" As the ring was tossed upwards, suspended in midair, she chanted, "Transitus viam mortis, tempore et magicae!"

There was silence as if everything had stopped. And then there's a moment of clarity.

The world seemed to erupt around her into multitudes of color - suffocating and pressing unto her head until she cannot distinguish herself and the intense light she was being sucked into. She felt stabbing pains throughout her body and after what felt like years, it stopped. She was floating in space now, numerous memories and faces flashing without mercy, until she felt herself become sadness itself. But it was not sadness, it was light and then it was happiness.

_If this is dying_, a voice – her voice said from somewhere far away – said, _I hope I'll see them again once it's over._

As she surrendered everything in the peaceful blackness, she heard a woman scream.

* * *

Ahoy! Yeah, here's chapter 1. I might rewrite this later,writing in 3rd POV is really hard -_- There are many inconsistencies and OOC-ness but they will explained on the next chapters. I really like character development and we can't have all of them already powerful, strong or what not! :3 Lame excuse, I know.

Line breaks hate me. Tsk.

Also, this is Hermione's POV sort of? I tried writing all the rush, confusion.. I'm sorry for all the grammar errors, misspellings, among other things. I've done this during my 36 hours marathon between work, more work, gaming and writing. I just can't seem to express these ideas better, it seems. Beta readers out there?

I'm really excited for the OC's POV!

Any suggestions? Comments? How do I make this better? Reviews are really, really welcome!

Thank you for reading! Especially to my first ever Fave and Follow: Leonardous and Val66! You guys dont have any idea how giddy I am when I received the notifications on my Gmail. Try imagining a red haired woman, wearing a metal band shirt and for all the world looks like someone who might eat little children, squealing in glee in the middle of our office's smoking area. Yeah, disturbing I know :D

And you, anonymous reader, I love you!


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